Spincast style fishing reels normally are of the closed-face type and sometimes have provision for level winding. A lip or edge of a spinner head, including a pick-up member such as a radially extending pin, is generally positioned during line retrieval so that the line is fed to the spool at a midpoint between the spool flanges. To permit relative rotational and axial movement between the spinner head and the forward flange of the spool, a space must necessarily be maintained therebetween. When the reel is placed in condition for casting, the spinner head is moved forwardly relative to the spool, the pin drops, and the line is free to pay out. This forward movement of the spinner head exposes the space or gap between the spool forward wall and the spinner head. The line is not tensioned and the coils of line expand and may adhere to the underside of the spinner head. The line may be drawn into the gap between the spinner head and the spool and become entangled on the center shaft of the reel which rotates the spinner head and axially moves the spinner head. When this occurs, the reel function is inhibited or completely stopped. Users of spincast reels of the character described have contended with this problem for years.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,510 to R. D. Hull, dated May 29, 1979, discloses a solution to the problem by providing a fine twisted wire having short fibers or bristles in the arrangement of a miniature pipe cleaner. The wire is used to cover the rim of the spool flange, with the bristles restricting the passage of the line into the gap between the spool and the spinner head. A similar approach to solving the problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,012 to J. W. Puryear, dated May 29, 1984, wherein fibers are adhered to the rim of the spool flange so that the fibers project radially outwardly to prevent the fishing line from migrating underneath the spinner head.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,903,201 to T. F. Sarah, dated Sept. 8, 1959, and 3,329,371 to C. E. Willis, dated July 4, 1967, show a different approach wherein the edge or forward wall of the spool is turned rearwardly to define an annular flange between the spool walls terminating generally centrally of the spool. This forces the untensioned line to ride on the flange and prevent the line from migrating into the gap between the forward wall of the spool and the spinner head. In Sarah, the rearwardly turned flange is formed by a customized spool wall. In Willis, the rearwardly turned flange is formed by separate members for securing to the rim of the spool forward wall, and securing means is necessary to maintain the rearwardly turned flange in position.